Dean Heller

The Department of Veterans Affairs needs "tens of thousands" more personnel working in VA hospitals and clinics to meet patient demand, the new VA secretary, Robert "Bob" McDonald, told lawmakers Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

The size of the staff shortage, McDonald said, explains why VA has launched "a big recruiting effort," which he kicked off recently with visits to Duke University and University of Pennsylvania medical schools to tell students there why "VA is where they want to work."

Congress is pressing to clarify VA staff shortage as the department struggles to recover from a patient wait-time...

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